


Let Me Hold You

by Akiko_Natsuko



Series: Stingue [8]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 10:31:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17599622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Sting woke with the feeling that something was wrong, groggily burying his head in the pillow and breathing deeply, even as he cast out his senses, trying to work out what had disturbed his sleep. It was the silence. The absence of soft breathing that usually filled the room on the rare occasions that he was the first to wake up, and he frowned, face still smothered even as he reached out across the bed.





	Let Me Hold You

   Sting woke with the feeling that something was wrong, groggily burying his head in the pillow and breathing deeply, even as he cast out his senses, trying to work out what had disturbed his sleep. It was the silence. The absence of soft breathing that usually filled the room on the rare occasions that he was the first to wake up, and he frowned, face still smothered even as he reached out across the bed. There was no warm body beneath his fingertips, and even the sheets, which were at least disturbed enough to reassure him that he hadn’t been alone all night, were cool to the touch. As though his bed-mate had been gone for some time, and he groaned, slowly rolling onto his side so that he could stare at the empty side of the bed with bleary eyes.

_Rogue…_

 A quick glance at the lacrima clock on the wall confirmed that it was too early to be up and about even on a day when they had a job waiting for them. Let alone on a day like today when the only thing they had planned was lazing around the guild, and maybe catching up on some of his paperwork. Although he hadn’t shared that thought with Rogue, knowing that it was a sure-fire way for his mate to find them another job to go on, even though neither of them was in any state for one right now. Which, was why Sting was already shoving the covers off, hissing as the early morning chill quickly chased away the warmth he’d amassed under the covers, and he shivered as he all but dove for Rogue’s coat which was hung at the end of the bed. The lunge reminding him of just why they needed some downtime, as he tugged on his still healing ribs, vision whiting out for a minute, and his breath was little more than a wheeze when he reached his goal.

“Damn it, Rogue, why couldn’t you have just stayed in bed?” It was said with all the indignation of a Dragon-slayer who wanted nothing more than to be still curled up warm in bed with his mate, but there was no heat and an edge of concern to the words. Because he knew precisely why Rogue wasn’t in bed, just as he had known that his mate was lying when he had said that he was ‘fine’ earlier that night when he had roused them both with a nightmare.

    Cursing himself for not pressing the issue at the time, he stiffly eased the coat on, pressing a hand to his side as he turned and headed to the door.

_Rogue._

**

     He had been unsurprised but disappointed to find the rest of their flat abandoned, although the mug lying cracked on the floor told him that Rogue had left in a hurry, and there was a lingering darkness, a weight in the air that told him why his mate had fled. Which was why he was here, slipping into the guild in pyjama bottoms and Rogue’s coat at the crack of dawn. Thankfully the main room was mostly empty, apart from a few of the heavier drinkers who had passed out where they were, although someone had taken the time to cover them up, and he made a note to thank Yukino when he saw her, knowing exactly who was responsible for that. However, beyond that cursory glance to make sure that his guildmates were okay, he paid them no mind as he headed for the door beyond the bar that led through to the training grounds.

    There was a shimmer of magic around the door, a warning that someone was using the room beyond, something they’d installed after Orga had nearly framed an unsuspecting guild member who had walked in when the God-slayer was sparring with Rufus. Sting noted the warning and promptly ignored it, knowing that he had nothing to fear from the magic or mage inside, slipping through the door, although he was careful to seal it behind him. Not so much to protect anyone else, but because he knew that Rogue needed the privacy, especially if he was teetering on the edge of losing control again. Turning back to face the room, he could see the shadows that were darkening the room, swirling around the lacrima lights like a dark mist and he sighed, before squaring his shoulders and stepping down the steps.

    His gaze was instantly drawn to his mate, as Rogue darted across the training sands, tearing through the magical targets without mercy. However, as much as he loved watching his mate moved, eyes drawn to the predatory grace of his movements, he couldn’t miss the shadows that were growing around Rogue, rising like a tidal wave behind him.

_Just as they did back then…_

    Sting shook his head, barely resisting the urge to wrap a protective arm around his side. No, this was different, because as he watched he realised that the shadows were beginning to fade, wavering around the edges as Rogue pushed himself harder and harder, more and more targets springing up as he whirled with an almost desperate expression on his face, and Sting sighed as understanding dawned. _Of course._ It had been the same ever since their last job, when Rogue’s control had slipped for the first time in months, leaving Sting to dig them out of the mess, resulting in his still-healing injuries. Rogue had been trying to hide it, but the exhaustion had been there – it was why Sting had suggested they take a few days off, and now he knew why. Rogue had been working himself to exhaustion, whether to just extinguish his shadows for a time, or to try and get better control over his magic, and while Sting couldn’t deny that more training was probably a good thing, but not like this.

Not when his mate was driving himself into the ground.

   And it was evident that was what he was doing as Rogue went down heavily on one knee, chest heaving, but he didn’t stay down long before staggering back to his feet with a low growl. _Okay, enough is enough,_ Sting thought as he stepped out on the sand. The shadows noticed him first, and even as weakened as they were becoming, they rushed towards him, and Sting immediately let some of his own magic to play, forcing the shadows back before they could curl around him.

“Rogue,” he knew better than to approach unannounced, keeping his voice soft as he padded close, knowing that his presence had registered when the shadows veered away, being drawn back towards his mate. That was a good sign, and he moved faster and with more confidence until he reached Rogue who had frozen in place, trying not to look at him, although dark eyes kept drifting towards him anyway, and Sting smiled, expression softening as he stepped forward and drew his mate into a hug. Although he was saddened to feel Rogue stiffen briefly at his touch, before practically falling into the embrace, trembling from more than just exhaustion.

“Sting…”

“Come back to bed,” Sting murmured, fingers rising to brush against the back of his mate’s neck, massaging softly in the exact spot that he knew would have Rogue melting against him. Feeling a brief spark of smugness as Rogue leant into him, letting his head fall against his shoulder with a sigh. “Come on, it’s far too early for this, and we can talk about all this when the sun is actually up.” That last was said only partly in jest as he glanced at the windows that showed that it was still barely light outside.

 “But…”

“Please?” Sting pleaded, knowing that Rogue had yet to build up a resistance to, and he knew even before he felt his mate’s fingers tightening against his back that he had already won. Still, his mate was stubborn and wouldn’t cave just like that, and Sting was more than happy to sweeten the deal, nuzzling into the side of his mate’s neck, drinking in Rogue’s scent. He had come so close to losing this, and only some of his tightening hold was feigned as he pulled Rogue closer, scenting him, cradling him, even as his fingers rose to toy with dark hair. “We’ll go home and curl up, I just want to hold you, okay?”

_Please, just let me hold onto you…_

_Everything else can wait._


End file.
